Obama denounces shooting at Trump gala dinner

Former US President Barack Obama on Sunday called on Americans to reject violence following an attack at a press gala dinner attended by President Donald Trump.

"Although we don’t yet have the details about the motives behind last night's shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner, it’s incumbent upon all (of) us to reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy," Obama wrote on X, adding praise for law enforcement officers who scrambled to protect Trump.

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The incident occurred during a high-profile media event where journalists, public officials and invited guests had gathered, underscoring growing concerns in the United States about threats to public safety at political and civic functions.

Obama’s remarks come amid heightened tensions and an increasingly polarised political climate, where security risks at public appearances by national leaders have drawn renewed scrutiny.

His call to reject violence framed the episode not only as a security breach but as part of a broader pattern of political hostility that he said Americans must collectively resist.